The invention relates generally to roadway and motor vehicle pathway markers and more particularly to a readily installed and removed motor vehicle lane delineator which clearly marks the center line between adjacent lanes of traffic or outside edge of a lane as well as providing an audible warning when a motor vehicle drives thereupon.
An ongoing concern of drivers, road designers and those associated with transportation safety relates to the reduction of motor vehicle accidents. Substantial government and private sector money has been expended on research projects directed to improving, for example, road surface traction, lane marking visibility and traffic light and highway sign clarity. Given both the high mobility of the American public as well as the losses resulting from motor vehicle accidents, research in these areas continues.
Not all monies devoted to improving the safety of the nation's highways are, however, expended in research. Substantial expenditures are made each year for road resurfacing, safety upgrading, structural rebuilding, widening, and similar improvements. Because of the necessity of maintaining traffic flow, these improvements can typically be effected only to one portion or lane of a road at time. Such traffic is, however, frequently directed across a median strip or other divider and onto one or more of the lanes of the opposing flow of traffic which have been designated for this purpose. Such a traffic flow arrangement, i.e., opposing traffic flows in adjacent lanes intended for unidirectional traffic flow, is not altogether benign, and may, in fact, be a significant contributing factor to an accident. Unfortunately, such an accident may be serious in that it will tend to involve vehicles which are traveling and collide substantially head on.
Such construction sites, however, are but one of many hazardous or potentially hazardous traffic areas. Structures such as bridges and tunnels, particularly those built before the now presently standardized twelve foot lane width, represent other areas having a higher than average accident potential.
Aside from actual highway situations, it is frequently desirable to utilize traffic flow dividers adjacent the entrance of tunnels, in association with toll booths and in parking lots and parking structures. In such situations, not only can accidents of a lesser nature be avoided but also traffic flow in both diverging and converging lanes can be improved.
A review of the prior art reveals various apparatus for traffic lane demarcation and safety enhancement. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,415 discloses a free standing pole for lane marking. U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,512 discloses an audible and physically sensible warning device which may be embedded in highway pavement. U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,415 illustrates an elongate strip having reflective markers which is intended to be placed on the surface of the road between lanes of opposing traffic. U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,857 teaches a movable barrier which is disposed parallel to the flow of traffic but which may be moved transversely between such lanes to selectively mark, for example, reversible traffic lanes. U.S. Pat. No. 2,221,357 teaches a lane marking device having as its primary feature portability. None of the above devices, however, combine what are believed to be the necessary features such as portability, visibility and audibility.